Alex Kirkwood & Son has been providing the medals for
Edinburgh Photographic Society Exhibitions for over 150 years.
They recently rediscovered the metal stamping die that was used
to create this style of medal:

I've been asked when Edinburgh Photographic Society changed
from awarding the large circular medals to the rectangular 'Art
Nouveau' style of medal above

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 20, 2012

7.

Reply 1

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Change probably made between 1890 and
1910

I've seen examples of the large round medals from the 19th
century but the only two rectangular medals I have seen are
dated 1914 and 1916. I cannot give a date for the
change to the latter, possibly some time between 1890 and 1910.

Peter Stubbs: May 20, 2012

7.

Reply 2

David Likar

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

I emailed David Likar, a collector of photographic medals who
lives in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to ask for his views.

David immediately sent me the following helpful reply:

Change probably made in 1902

"Regarding the plaque medal, the
earliest example I have in my collection is from the 1903
Exhibition

However, the date of introduction of
the medal may have been 1902, as in that year EPS decided on a
new award structure of only bronze medals.

It is very unlikely that they would
use the old round type medal for the new award structure, so I
think 1902."

David Likar, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia:
May 20, 2012

7.

Reply 3

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Medal first awarded at February 1902
Exhibition

Given the '1902 suggestion' from David
(above) I've now looked at:

- Transactions of Edinburgh Photographic Society

- EPS Minute Books (See Reply 4
below)

for the early 1900s

I can now confirm that this style of medal was, indeed, first
awarded at the EPS Exhibition held in February 1902, as David
Likar suggests above.

"This February 1902 Exhibition set
the pattern for subsequent exhibitions."

Note on Exhibition Dates

One exhibition was held during each session.

In the early-1900s, the exhibitions were held in February,
except for the 1902-03 and 1903-04 when they were brought
forward three months to November.

This resulted in two exhibitions during calendar year 1902
and none in 1904."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 29, 2012

7.

Reply 4

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

EPS Council Minutes

These extracts from Minutes give some insight into EPS
Council's involvement in planning Exhibitions in the early
1900s.

Committee Appointed

"Messrs
Scott, Lauder, Warwick and Johnston, Dr Scott Lauder being the
Convenor, were appointed (as) a Committee to draw up a list of
Classes and rules for the next Session's Exhibition, and to
report."

EPS Council Meeting: April 19, 1900

Discussion of Exhibition
Classes

The following is a small extract (about the
first 25%) of a lengthy discussion on medals at one of the EPS
Council Meetings!

Classes I and II

"The Council then proceeded to draw
up a list of Classes for the Exhibition, viz:- The
President Proposed and Mr Brown seconded that the two classes
open to all; that one gold, one silver and one bronze
medal be offered for each
class; that Class I be for Portraiture and Figure Studies
and Class II be for Landscape and Seascape Studies.

Mr Johnston moved as an amendment
that the open section remain as printed in the May
'Transactions' ; the curator seconded."

On a vote being taken, six voted for
the amendment and eight for the motion which was accordingly
declared carried by a majority of two.

Warwick here handed in his
resignation as a member of Council and his withdrawal as a
candidate for the Presidency and left the meeting."

Classes III and IV

"Mr Brown moved, seconded by Mr
Patrick, that there be two classes open to members only, each
picture being the unaided work of the Exhibitor, and that the
first, being Class III, be for portraiture and figure studies,
and the second, being Class IV, be for landscape and seascape
studies.

Mr Johnston moved as an amendment
that the section open to members only remain as printed in the
May 'Transactions'; the secretary seconded. On a
vote being taken, three supported the amendment and ten the
motion which was accordingly declared carried by a
majority of seven."

Rule 9

"Mr James Burns here moved that the last
clause of Rule 9 read as follows:- 'They shall have the
power of withholding the awards and their decision as to merit
shall be final.' Mr Brown seconded.

The Treasurer moved as an amendment
that the clause read as follows: 'They shall have the
power of adding to or withholding the awards but any
additional award shall be a certificate, and their decision as
to merit shall be final. The President seconded.

On a vote being taken, five voted
for the motion and six for the amendment, including the
Chairman's casting vote."

Classes III and IV
(again)

"Mr James Burns moved, seconded by
Mr Hay that one silver and one bronze medal be offered in each
of classes III and IV. This was agreed to."

EPS Council Meeting: May 28, 1900

Discussion of Exhibition
Entertainment

"The Council undertook to arrange
for music being provided each evening during the exhibition,
from 7 to 9 o' clock pm, except on Wednesdays and Saturdays when
the exhibition would be closed.

Each member of Council undertook to
endeavour to get a lady or gentleman to take an evening and to
report to the Secretary, who was instructed to print in red
lettering on invitation cards, 'Music from 7 to 9pm'." **

EPS Council Meeting: Jan 17, 1901

Exhibition Entertainment
Cancelled

**
This exhibition music, along with other entertainment - the
Society Dinner, Exhibition Opening Concert and Smoking Concert -
was subsequently cancelled, following the death of Queen
Victoria five days after the date of this Council Meeting.

Medals Required

"Some
discussion took place as to the designation of Medals to be
awarded at the Annual Exhibition on the Entry Form, and it was
agreed to print the following paragraph therein, viz:- "No
Classification of Pictures; and the only awards will be
the medal of the Edinburgh Photographic Society in bronze.

The Secretary was instructed to
obtain the medals awarded at the Exhibition of Pictures and the
Exhibition of Slides struck
solid, and also to have those awarded in Sections I and II of
the former inscribed on the back with the words "Open Section"
and "Members' Section" respectively and those in the latter with
the words "Lantern Slides".

EPS Council Meeting: Oct 24, 1901

Medal Estimate Accepted

"Messrs Alex Kirkwood & Son's
estimate for solid bronze medals with name and date at
four shillings and eight pence each with an additional charge of
one penny per letter for engraving "Members Section" or "Open
Section" or "Lantern Slides" on the back was accepted."

EPS Council Meeting: Nov 21 1901

Medal Order

"The
Secretary was instructed to arrange with Messrs Alex Kirkwood &
Sons for their keeping a dozen bronze Medals against the
Exhibition of Photographs and Lantern Slides.

EPS Council Meeting: Dec 26 1901

Medal Order for Lantern Slide
Competition

"It was agreed (1) to order six
medals for the Lantern Slide Competition in addition to the two
presently on hand; (2) to present them at the end of the
Exhibition.

EPS Council Meeting: Dec 26 1902

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 29, 2012

7.

Reply 5

Sue Hill

Edinburgh Photographic Society

Here is a an extract from a message that I received recently
from Sue Hill and Doug Hamilton of Edinburgh Photographic
Society.

Doug was EPS Exhibition Secretary, responsible for managing
the EPS International Exhibition from from 1998 to 2007.

Sue wrote:

Recent EPS Medals

Double Sided Medal

"Iíve been following the story of
the medal with interest.

Having read the comments above, I
thought Iíd let you know that I have an example of the
double sided EPS bronze medal, engraved by E.W Thomson that I
was awarded in 1997. It isnít personally engraved though.

I donít know in which years EPS
awarded double sided medals; the one Doug was awarded in
1996 was a single sided one, showing the shield side."

Sue Hill, Edinburgh Photographic Society:
May 29, 2012

7.

Reply 6

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Recent EPS Medals

Single Sided Medal

I was awarded the EPS Medal for winning the Advanced Section
of the Slides Competition in 1993-4 and 1995-6, Both were
single-sided medals, with name and award details on the back.

The front of the first Medal shows the shield on the front.
The front of the second Medal shows Edinburgh Castle.

Medals struck from same dies
as were used to create EPS Medals from the 1860s to 1901.

"I have
a Medal
that is the same as the bronze PSS Medal above, except the metal
is silver.
At the base of the engraving of the castle is the name of the
engraver 'ALEXr KIRKWOOD & SON'. Interestingly, the medal is
not hallmarked.

The medal
is 5 cms in diameter. Around the rim is the inscription:
'TO
THE REVd T. MILVILLE RAVEN, FOR THE BEST PHOTOGRAPH BY A MEMBER.
1859'.

An Edinburgh
Photographic Society Silver Medal, similar to the one in the two
pictures on the right above, but in silver, was
sold on eBay on August 10, 2009. The location of the seller
was Gosport, Hampshire, England

I bid unsuccessfully
for the medal. There were eight bidders and the medal sold
for £51. The medal was described as:

The pictures above show the back and front of this medal.
The year, 1861, mentioned above, is the year that Edinburgh
Photographic Society was founded. In fact the medal was
awarded at the
EPS Open Exhibition in 1896

The inscription around the edge of the medal reads: 'J B
Johnsone 1896'